TN · Memphis · Updated October 15, 2026

Respiratory Therapist jobs in Memphis, TN

Respiratory Therapists in the Memphis area earn a median of $30.66 per hour, about $63,760 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $30.28 and $36.11. That ranks 247th of 270 U.S. metro areas for respiratory therapist pay, and 238th of 248 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 11 hospitals in Memphis. The free report below lists employers near Memphis and what they pay.

More open Respiratory Therapist roles in Memphis

2 more open roles from employers in Memphis. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

Respiratory Therapist pay in Memphis, TN

The metro median is 2% below the Tennessee statewide median of $31.25 per hour. Nationally the median is $38.68 per hour. BLS counts about 560 respiratory therapists employed in the Memphis metro area, 0.9 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is about as concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.01).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$25.30$52,62035% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$30.28$62,98022% below U.S. median
Median$30.66$63,76021% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$36.11$75,1107% below U.S. median
Top 10%$37.73$78,4802% below U.S. median

How Memphis ranks

  • 247th of 270 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 238th of 248 after adjusting for local prices
  • 3rd of 7 Tennessee metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Respiratory Therapists (SOC 29-1126), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

Get the Memphis Respiratory Therapist pay report

Named employers near Memphis, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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What your pay buys in Memphis

  • Overall prices in Memphis run 8% below the U.S. average (index 92.2, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 20% below the U.S. average (index 79.8).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $30.66 median hour buys what $33.26 buys at the national price level, 14% below the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Memphis paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,104
  • Per year: $55,188
  • Per month: $4,599
  • Tennessee has no state income tax on wages.

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Memphis metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Memphis

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$129
Meals and incidentals per day$74
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,421
13-week assignment$18,473

Travel respiratory therapist assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Open Respiratory Therapist roles in Tennessee

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Memphis as they open.

All Respiratory Therapist jobs in Tennessee

Hospitals in Memphis

CMS lists 11 hospitals in Memphis, 0 of the 5 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of respiratory therapists.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Baptist Memorial Hospital
Memphis, TN
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Memphis Va Medical Center
Memphis, TN
Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal3 of 5Yes
Methodist Hospitals Of Memphis
Memphis, TN
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Regional One Health
Memphis, TN
Acute careGovernment and federal1 of 5Yes
St Francis Hospital
Memphis, TN
Acute careFor-profit1 of 5Yes
Delta Specialty Hospital
Memphis, TN
Acute careFor-profitNot ratedYes
St Jude Childrens Research Hospital
Memphis, TN
Children'sNonprofitNot ratedNo
Crestwyn Behavioral Health
Memphis, TN
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedYes
Lakeside Behavioral Health System
Memphis, TN
PsychiatricNonprofitNot ratedNo
Memphis Mental Health Institute
Memphis, TN
PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedYes

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Respiratory Therapist pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Southaven, MS11 mi$30.66/hr57,493
Bartlett, TN12 mi$30.66/hr56,708
Jonesboro, AR63 mi$29.50/hr82,384
Jackson, TN74 mi$30.33/hr69,303
North Little Rock, AR130 mi$33.84/hr64,498
Little Rock, AR138 mi$33.84/hr204,774

Respiratory Therapist jobs in Tennessee · Respiratory Therapist jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Tennessee

RRT or CRT credential from NBRC. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Tennessee requires for your role with the Tennessee licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Tennessee does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.

Tennessee state guide

Other healthcare roles in Memphis

Memphis city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do respiratory therapists make in Memphis, TN?

Respiratory Therapists in the Memphis metro area have a median pay of $30.66 per hour, about $63,760 a year. The middle half earn between $30.28 and $36.11 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Memphis a good place for respiratory therapists once cost of living is counted?

Memphis ranks 238th of 248 metro areas for respiratory therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 247th of 270 before adjusting. Overall prices run 8% below the U.S. average.

Where do respiratory therapists work in Memphis?

CMS lists 11 hospitals in Memphis, led by Baptist Memorial Hospital. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Tennessee license to work in Memphis as a respiratory therapist?

RRT or CRT credential from NBRC. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Tennessee requires for your role with the Tennessee licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Memphis?

The federal per diem benchmark in Memphis is $129 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,421 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place respiratory therapists in Memphis?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Memphis and across Tennessee. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Memphis.

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What do employers near Memphis pay respiratory therapists? Get the report.

Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
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    Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.

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Pay report · RT near Memphis, TN
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your RT pay reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your Tennessee list by name comes with the full report

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • CommonSpirit HealthSACRAMENTO, CA · 8 postings$56.70/ hr$47–$71
  • MultiCareTacoma, WA · 18 postings$54.16/ hr$29–$68
  • Fairview Health ServicesGrand Rapids, MN · 7 postings$53.34/ hr$36–$63
  • Centrastate Healthcare SystemFreehold, NJ · 3 postings$51.30/ hr$38–$65

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your Tennessee list

2What they are offering now

Low$29Median$41.44High$58

396 RT postings with published pay in the US, 319 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 1 RT roles

  1. Registered Respiratory TherapistPermanent
    $27.97–$41.60/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Hixson, TN · posted 14 days ago

Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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